Harrisburg's patched water system passed its first major test today, surviving peak workday use with the state government and its 17,000 downtown employees back in town for the first time since a Sunday breach.

"Operationally, we're OK right now," City Public Works Director Ernie Hoch said today.

"The system ran through the day without flaw," Hoch said. "All the points that we checked the pressures on were good. The Capitol, the hospitals, hydrants throughout the city. We're doing very well."

As permanent repairs to the breached trunk line off Cameron Street continue, Hoch also said there was a chance that the boil-water advisory affecting most of the city from 18th Street to the west could be lifted on Friday.

The state requires two straight days of clean-water quality tests after a major service interruption. Hoch said the the first round of post-repair tests conducted today looked good.

If that trend continues, he said, the state could lift the advisory order as early as Friday afternoon. City officials stressed that while signs are hopeful, that will ultimately depend on what the tests show.

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